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FBI Search Home & Office Of Former Trump Adviser John Bolton; Trump Calls John Bolton A "Low Life" As FBI Search His Home. Aired 12- 12:30p ET

Aired August 22, 2025 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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DANA BASH, CNN HOST, INSIDE POLITICS: Today on Inside Politics, John Bolton's morning starts with a court authorized search of his home and D.C. office. What we're learning about what FBI agents were looking for inside that home and office of the president's former national security advisor.

Plus, is the country any closer to seeing what's inside the Epstein files. The House Oversight Committee chair says he'll have hundreds of documents from the Justice Department today. What will the public learn? And if they learn much, will that put an end to MAGA obsession? And the Fed Chair, Jerome Powell, hints that a rate cut could be coming soon to stop the economy from stalling out.

I'm Dana Bash. Let's go behind the headlines at Inside Politics.

Welcome to Inside Politics. I'm Dana Bash in Washington. John Bolton's morning started with federal agents inside his home, that is in Bethesda, Maryland. Well, there you see just a few hours later, FBI agents searched his office, also on the authorization of a federal magistrate.

CNN is told it's part of an investigation into whether Bolton misused classified information in his 2020 book, the room where it happened. That investigation originally started during Trump's first term but ultimately was abandoned by the Biden administration.

FBI Director Kash Patel, posted on X, seemingly in the middle of the search, quote, no one is above the law. FBI agents on mission. The president out this morning in Washington, said he didn't know about the search beforehand, but was quick to comment on Bolton's character.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: He's a real sort of a low life. When I hired him, he served a good purpose, because, as you know, he was one of the people that forced Bush to do the ridiculous bombings in the Middle East, Bolton. He wants to always kill people, and he's very bad at what he does, but he worked out great for me. (END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: We'll go straight to CNN's Evan Perez, who is outside of John Bolton's home in Bethesda, Maryland. Evan, what are you learning from your sources?

EVAN PEREZ, CNN SENIOR JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Dana, we now have FBI agents here entering the fifth hour of this search here at John Bolton's home. It is in Bethesda, Maryland, just outside of Washington. And you know, I'll show you just a little bit of the scene right now. The agents -- you see those cars right there, those are all associated with FBI agents who are inside the home at this hour.

What we've seen them do is come in with boxes that are intended for documents -- document boxes. We've also seen them reposition those vehicles just a little while ago, seemingly preparing, perhaps to take things out of it. They backed them up to the garage there outside the home.

Now, Bolton wasn't home when the agents rolled up here, just around 7 am. His wife was and we saw her talking to some of the agents, appeared to give her what, you know, the paperwork that they normally have, which is, like the search warrant return. And that basically lays out what they're looking for, what federal law they believe has been violated and why they're there. And they've been inside ever since, about a dozen FBI agents.

Now, this is a very -- this is a residential neighborhood. And so, the Montgomery County police is here, trying to manage some of the traffic situation. And Dana, look, I mean, we know that this has -- these two searches are both associated with the same investigation. And what we're told is that it has to do with the disclosure of national security information.

This is, of course, an investigation that, as you pointed out, began in 2020 and was abandoned without charges back in 2021. We don't know whether the FBI has new information to come back to this investigation, Dana?

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BASH: Hour five. That is not a short search, really interesting. Evan, thank you so much. Let us know if you see anything happening and raise your hand. We'll come right back to you. I'm joined here by a terrific group today at the desk here with me is CNN's John King and Kristen Holmes, and Alyse Adamson, a former federal prosecutor also joining us, is Andrew McCabe, a CNN senior law enforcement analyst and former deputy director of the FBI.

Andy, I'm going to start with you. Describe what it takes to get a warrant or warrants like this for a home in an office?

ANDREW MCCABE, CNN SENIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST &: FORMER DEPUTY DIRECTOR, FBI: Yeah, sure. So, FBI agents sat down and worked with an assistant United States attorney, and they had to present draft an affidavit, which is like a statement of facts that supports a request for a search warrant. And in that affidavit, they include all the facts that they think are necessary to convince a judge that there is probable cause to believe that there is evidence of a crime in that location. This location, obviously, is John Bolton's house.

So, we know they had some degree of information or evidence, because we know the judge signed that warrant, and that's what gives them the right to be there. We don't know what that information is. We don't know if it's similar to information around the original allegations about classified information in the book that he published, or whether it has to do with anything, any more recent work or comments or writings by John Bolton.

The interesting thing though, Dana, is a warrant along those lines would entitle the FBI to search for any information that might be classified in the residence. And as we all know, information can be in many forms. It can be paper documents, records, notebooks, but it can also be electronics devices, or really anything, any piece of electronic media that can store information.

So, because the possibilities are so broad there, it essentially gives the agents the opportunity to look in every location in the house, any place where you could possibly store something along those lines, a piece of paper, an envelope, a notebook, whatever is within the realm of the search. That's why it's taking as long as it is. Typically, these searches go on for hours and hours, because you get to look in every drawer, every box, every closet, every room, and it takes a while.

BASH: All right. Thank you so much. And Alyse, I want to go to you. How in your experience as a prosecutor, how high is the bar or does it need to be to get a judge to sign off on things like this?

ALYSE ADAMSON, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: Yeah, Dana. Well, it's very important for people to understand that probable cause is a much lower standard than beyond a reasonable doubt. That's what we talk about the most, because that's the standard at trial. Probable cause is a lower standard. It's, you know, reasonable belief. But it is important for people to know that you still need to establish some evidence.

There is a joke that you can indict in a ham sandwich, for instance. That's the standard for an indictment as well. But the reality is, when you are presenting an affidavit to a judge, they need to see some evidence. And what's interesting here is that the potential offenses would be knowing and intentional. So, they would also have to establish some evidence that Bolton knew that he was retaining these documents.

BASH: So interesting. And John, I want you to weigh in, and as you do. I just want to put up on the screen. I'm sure our viewers are very familiar with John Bolton, and he's been on our air in and around the Russia negotiations and negotiations with Ukraine and European leaders. But he obviously was the national security advisor during Trump won, and at issue, it seems maybe there is something new, as Andy said, but it seems to be around that 2020 book.

Just some quotes from that book. Trump is unfit to be president. If his first four years were bad, a second four will be worse. Trump really cares only about retribution for himself, and it will consume much of a second term that gives you a flavor of what was in it.

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And John Bolton said in this very space a few days ago during the Trump, Putin summit and during the conversations with European leaders afterwards and was harshly critical of President Trump's approach to the Ukraine issue, and what John Bolton has described as his constantly being played by Putin.

So, here's the question. The burden of proof is now in the government to prove that they had a reason to do this against someone who served, whether you agree with his politics or not agree with his policy or not, served the United States government as a public servant in several administrations, years after years, knows national security law incredibly well. Is known to be very cautious and conservative.

So, can -- the burden of proof is on the government to prove that this is a valid investigation, not a power play designed to intimidate a Trump critic who is on television all the time, and that the FBI director posts in the middle of it all. There's no direct connection to Bolton, so it's a bit of speculation, but in the middle of it all, no one is above the law that it happens right after the president says, I don't like this official on the Federal Reserve.

And the next day, the Justice Department starts an investigation and announces that publicly. That's the part where Trump critics say, wait a minute. Are you on a power trip here? Are you using your powers to go after your critics or people you don't want in position? So, the burden is on them to prove that that's not what this is about. The question is, will they meet that burden?

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BASH: And to that point, this is just last week, August 13, the president put on his Truth Social platform, constantly talking about the media. And he said, constantly quoting, fired losers and really dumb people like John Bolton, who just said that even though the meeting is on American soil, Putin has already won. What's that all about?

KRISTEN HOLMES, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. And I can tell you that President Trump, one of the things he's been angriest about for the last week and a half has been the coverage of his Alaska summit. He felt like he was not treated fairly in the media.

He was angry about various reporters saying that he seemed unhappy in the press conference. The fact that he didn't take questions and he was upset with John Bolton's critique of him as well. So that was all happening behind the scenes. Obviously, it plays out there too.

The one thing I do think is interesting about all of this is that those classified documents were -- that were in the book. Those were originally approved by career officials at the White House, which is likely one of the reasons they could say John Bolton knew what he was putting out there was classified, but he got it cleared. Then it was Trump loyalists who came in and tried to stop him from publishing that. Of course, we remember, Donald Trump saying he was going to throw him in jail over the book. So, that's probably where this idea of what he knew or didn't know is because he had actual conversations trying to get this cleared for his book.

BASH: Yeah, right. He went through the process. The question is, who approved it? And that was, you're right. That was -- that was a big point of contention in Trump one. Andy, I want to bring you back in and just put up some of the quotes that John was referring to from the current heads of the Justice Department and FBI.

This is Pam Bondi, 7:45 am. America's safety isn't negotiable. Justice will be pursued. Always, during the raid. Kash Patel post 7:03 am. No one is above the law. FBI agents on a mission. How unusual is that kind of post from the heads of the law enforcement agencies in America while this high-profile raid is going on?

MCCABE: I can't think of another FBI director or attorney general, and I worked for many of them who would have done something similar. This is just simply not the way Department of Justice employees at the department or the bureau operate. We understand that there's all kinds of unfavorable attention and reputation impact that comes along with, having something happen like what's happening at John Bolton's house right now.

In the past, DOJ leadership has always taken the role like we don't go out of our way to draw suspicion or castigate people unless we are doing it officially in court, in the form of an indictment and then going into court and proving our case. They speak through the court filings, and that is it.

So, I think what you're seeing from Pam Bondi and Kash Patel and Dan Bongino is pretty typical for them, but it is absolutely a typical for anyone else who's ever served in those roles. And I think it really degrades the bureau and the department's image and legitimacy in the way that they are so blatantly trying to generate social media attention for themselves at the expense of not just the people who are being investigated, but also the investigators who are doing that work.

I can't think of anyone at the FBI who would call attention to a search warrant while it's taking place. You never want -- tactically, you would never want to draw attention to something like that. Search warrants can be very volatile scenes, establishing security, getting in professionally, doing your job, and getting out as quickly as you can. None of that is helped by drawing public attention to what's going on there.

BASH: A lot of head nodding at this table.

KING: Well, just remember, Trump and those people you just mentioned, the attorney general, the FBI director, the deputy, they are the ones who said during the Biden administration, these people are weaponizing the Justice Department. They are making public statements, essentially coming to conclusions, even while the search is underway in school. And I think the lawyers are all taught about this thing called innocent until proven guilty. That used to be pretty bedrock foundation of the United States government and the United States legal system, but now you have the heads of the law enforcement agencies essentially saying, John Bolton's guilty even before the search is conducted.

ADAMSON: That's right. I mean, it looks like they're trying to try this in the court of public opinion. I mean, it is still early, so we don't know if there's any real merit to this investigation, but everybody now is aware that there is an ongoing investigation. And to Andy's point, highly unusual, really quite unprecedented for the heads of these departments to make these statements during an ongoing active search warrant. And to his point, also probably irresponsible.

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KING: It's the kind of stuff that John Bolton's lawyers, if he ends up in court, are going to be able to use to claim prejudice. The question is, does it ever -- if I ever end up in court or is this about something else?

BASH: Well, there are lots of, lots of questions. Don't go anywhere. Top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee joins me to weigh in on this FBI search of John Bolton's home and office. And the questions about the reasons for it and the way it's being done. Don't go anywhere.

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BASH: Back to our top story. The FBI is searching the home of former Trump national security advisor, John Bolton. Sources tell CNN, the court authorized search is part of a national security investigation into whether Bolton disclosed classified information in his 2020 book that he was not supposed to.

Joining me now is Democratic Congressman Jamie Raskin of Maryland, who is the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee. Thank you so much for being here. First, you are not only the ranking Democrat on judiciary. John Bolton happens to live in your suburban D.C. in your Maryland district. What is your reaction to the search?

REP. JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): Well, and I, of course, support the constitutional rights of all of my constituents, Dana. And look, this episode is disturbing, and it seems to confirm Bolton's own prediction that if Donald Trump got back into office, his administration would be consumed with vengeance and retribution against his perceived political enemies.

They stripped John Bolton of his security detail on the first day of the administration. I believe they stripped him of his security clearance. He was listed on Kash Patel, so called, enemies list. And it seems as if perhaps the president was not pleased with what Bolton was saying during the course of the big summit with Vladimir Putin here in the United States, in Alaska. And he was reminding everybody that Vladimir Putin had one goal, which was to capture Ukraine and reabsorb it into the newly reconstituted Russian Empire.

So, obviously that got on Donald Trump's nerves. And I think we can see the results of it here, at least -- you know, based on the information I've got, this looks like it's very much in line with the other acts of political retribution and vengeance exacted against Bolton.

BASH: I mean that's a pretty big charge that you're not just dancing around, you're saying. You think this is political retribution?

RASKIN: Well, you know, look, obviously we don't know the facts, so we want to find out what all the facts are. But if we want to talk about, you know, taking government files unlawfully, Donald Trump should release Special Counsel Jack Smith's report on Donald Trump's taking of intelligence information and secured information and not returning it.

And why have we not seen anything about that? Why have we not seen any investigation or any probe into signal gate? You know the discussion of highly classified material over a signal chat room. So, you know, if there's any merit to it, nonetheless, it does seem like it is a very selectively deployed principle within the Trump administration.

BASH: You are a lawyer. You are a constitutional expert. You know far better than I that in order to conduct this search, which we should say is, you're looking at live pictures, it's still going on in your district, John Bolton's house, also of his office. A judge, a magistrate has to approve it. Does that make you feel better for lack of a better way to say it, that this is being done in the proper way?

RASKIN: Yeah. It does make me feel better assuming all of that is true. Of course, that was precisely the benefit of the doubt that Donald Trump and his supporters refused to concede when done -- when Mar-a-Lago was searched with a search warrant that had been authorized by a neutral magistrate. They didn't accept that. They claimed that somehow it was a completely political thing with far less justification for that claim.

So, please count me in the camp of the suspicious of what's going on right now. But this is why we all have to stand by the independence of the judiciary and make sure that people get their constitutional rights and that the independence of the courts is respected.

BASH: Last question, you -- part of your job -- big part of your job is oversight of the federal law enforcement agencies and the Justice Department. Pam Bondi, the Attorney General, put on X or Twitter this morning as this was happening. America's safety isn't negotiable. Justice will be pursued always. The FBI director also said at 7 am, no one is above the law. FBI agents on mission. What do you think about that?

[12:25:00] RASKIN: Well, justice will be served neutrally and universally. That would be a great principle if they adhere to it. Remember, the first thing that they did when they got in was, they sacked dozens of federal prosecutors, experienced criminal prosecutors simply because they worked on the January 6 case.

In other words, they were fired simply for having done their jobs. And there have been similar recriminations and vindictive actions taken towards people in the FBI. So, they do clearly believe that Donald Trump is above the law. And anybody who participated in the investigation and the prosecution of January 6 violent insurrectionists and cop beaters and people who entered the Capitol illegally are the suspect in the eyes of Pam Bondi and Kash Patel.

They have exact did a campaign of retaliation against people who simply did their jobs by investigating and prosecuting that massive attack, which resulted in the injury and the wounding of more than 140 of our police officers. So, they're still caught up in that campaign today. So that sounds like fine rhetoric, but they betrayed it immediately when they got into office.

BASH: Congressman Jamie Raskin, the congressman who represents John Bolton, your constituent in Bethesda, Maryland, and also the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. Thank you so much for being here. Appreciate it.

RASKIN: You bet. And the Fed chair hints a rate cut could be on the way. The markets are loving that. We'll explain what it means for your wallet after a break.

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